LOUISVILLE, Ky. -Welcome to the national championship hunt, Louisville.

Brian Brohm threw for 354 yards and a touchdown, and the fifth-ranked Cardinals took advantage of key mistakes by No. 3 West Virginia for an impressive 44-34 victory Thursday night that could give them an inside track to the Bowl Championship Series title game.

The win will likely lift Louisville (8-0, 3-0 Big East) to at least fourth in next week's BCS poll - it was fifth this week - and could be the spring board the Cardinals need to propel them into the national championship game if they manage to run the table.

But first, they must get past another undefeated conference foe. Louisville plays at No. 15 Rutgers (8-0, 3-0) next Thursday night.

"Now the biggest game in Louisville history is this Rutgers game coming up," Brohm said.

The Cardinals avenged last year's triple-overtime loss to the Mountaineers (7-1, 2-1) by returning a fumble and a punt for touchdowns during a pivotal three-minute stretch in the third quarter. Then, they delivered on their offseason motto to "finish."

West Virginia quarterback Pat White ran for 125 yards and four touchdowns and added 222 yards through the air. But he couldn't overcome three turnovers and a relentless Louisville offense that racked up 473 total yards and kept the Mountaineers on their heels all night.

Heisman Trophy hopeful Steve Slaton ran for 156 yards and a touchdown for the Mountaineers, but fumbled on consecutive snaps in the third quarter - apparently bothered by weakness in his left arm. Louisville's Malik Jackson returned the second one 13 yards for a score that gave the Cardinals a 23-14 lead, and Trent Guy added a 40-yard punt return four plays later, pushing Louisville's advantage to 30-16 with 9:23 left in the third quarter.

And unlike last season - when the Mountaineers rallied from 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Cardinals 46-44 - there would be no miracle comeback this year.

Though White led the Mountaineers on a pair of touchdown drives to get them back in it, the Cardinals responded each time with a score of their own. Brohm connected with Mario Urrutia on a 6-yard TD and Anthony Allen added a 5-yard touchdown run to keep the Cardinals safely in front.